A page devoted to the wine I drink, the places I visit and the people I meet along the way.

May 04, 2009

A
press release from the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA)
offered journalists an opportunity to experience flying with a free
introductory lesson. I have flown in private planes several times but
only as a passenger, never a co-pilot. The public relations folks found
me a Lets Go Flying school at the Atlantic Aviation Terminal at
Republic Airport in Farmingdale, Long Island, only about an hour from
Manhattan. On a beautiful late spring day it was “up, up & away” in
my Cessna 172N. The owner of the AAADS Flight School Danny Waizman had
another lesson that morning so he assigned me to Edi Avdic. This 24 year
old came to the US from Croatia in 2001 and received his pilot’s
license in 2005 while still a college student.

The
AAADS Flight School has four planes including the Cessna 172N that was
my training vehicle. There is also a Cessna 152, Piper Warrior II and
the twin prop Piper PA-31 Navajo. I learned that the mission of the
AOPA is to keep general aviation fun, safe and affordable. Normally
they charge $90 for a 2 1/2 hour first time introductory flight, which
I found very reasonable. With over 400,000 members the AOPA is the
largest, most influential aviation organization in the world. This
not-for-profit organization is dedicated to general aviation (not
commercial flights) and was incorporated in 1939. The letsgoflying.com website is AOPA’s official online resource for learning to fly and contains a database of flight schools across the country.

It
was time to fly. Edi showed me how to adjust my seat, fasten the seat
& harness belts, work the headset & microphone and we were
ready. He checked his list of pre-flight instruments and we taxied
toward the runway. This airport is exclusively for private planes but
had all the bells & whistles of a larger commercial airport. We
were number two for takeoff (how I wish Newark, LaGuardia & JFK
worked that way). We flew at around 2,000 feet so I could see the Long
Island north shore beaches, marinas, golf courses and homes.
Connecticut was easy to find, as was the skyline of Manhattan. I must
admit that every up or down draft got me a bit nervous. I was able to
climb, bank and hold the plane level. I declined Edi’s offer to show me
a few maneuvers and was content to let him land the plane. It was
smoother than most of my commercial flights.

Wine
and sports are my passion but if you throw in a beautiful new spa and I might find
heaven, which is just what I did in a day and a half visit to Crystal Springs Resort. Located
about 50 miles from my apartment in Manhattan in the bucolic Sussex
Skylands region of New Jersey my visit brought back memories of the old
Playboy Resort and Action Park (both are still there but in different forms
and names).

Crystal
Springs Resort consists of seven golf courses, the Mountain Creek Ski
Area and Summer Water Park, Minerals Sports Club (within the Minerals
Resort & Spa complex with a 6,000-square-foot fitness center,
indoor tennis, racquetball, running track and full size basketball
court) and is located adjacent to the Mountain Creek Ski Area and
Summer Water Park. There are seven indoor and outdoor heated pools, a
sauna, steam room, sand volleyball and the 175-room Minerals Resort as well as the Elements Spa. The two days I spent at the Resort were during
the Easter/Passover school holiday time and the pools were loaded with
kids.

I was there for the opening of the Reflections Spa
located within the new (2007) 250-room Grand Cascade Lodge, three miles
down the road from Minerals Resort. You can’t help but notice the 8,000
quartz crystals ceiling-containing healing powers from the earth.
Calming water seems to permeate the entire area and fire-inspired art
glass allows for a sensorial feeling as one waits for their treatments.
After my massage I loved the heated salt bath and the flowing river
water foot soak. After that experience I felt as if I was walking on
air the rest of the day. There were sparkling wines and hors d’oeuvres
in the waiting lounge and a soothing red background that helped one relax.
I wish I had more time to sample one of the treatments from the “Wine
Cellar Menu” using wine and grape seed extracts or the “Reflective
Surroundings” incorporating native indigenous bounties of the area into the experience.

I
spent the night at the Grand Cascades Lodge but not before relaxing
several hours in the enclosed Biosphere Pool area. This
10,000-square-foot complex has heated pools, hot tub and a 140-foot
water slide, all in a lush tropical setting. There is a translucent
retractable roof that permits the sun's rays to penetrate, allowing for
a year-round tan. Grand Cascades Lodge also allows guests complimentary
access to play their full 18-hole, par 2 natural grass-putting courses.
One can walk a few hundred feet indoors to reach the 53,000-square foot
clubhouse leading to Crystal Springs, Wild Turkey and Cascades golf
courses. Breakfast and lunch were at the Crystal Tavern overlooking the
golf course.

In
the same building is the Wine Spectator Grand Award winning Restaurant
Latour. Food & Beverage Director Rabih Younes led our group of
journalists through the Wine Cellar dining area with storage for over
64,000 bottles of wine and 4,000 labels. Included are 100 vintages of
Chateau Latour, and more than 180 of Robert Parker & Wine Spectator
100 point wines. The most expensive bottle is the magnum of Château
Latour 1900 at $28,000, the oldest vintage Château Latour
1863. The owner of Crystal Springs, Gene Mulvihill, has spent over 40
years amassing this collection valued at over $30,000,000 and he is
still buying wines. They also own the world’s only MRI machine (similar
to those used in the medical field) for wine. The wine scanner can
detect all levels of oxidation and acetic acid. The cork taint device
detects the molecule TCA that causes wines to be “corked.” All this can
be done without opening or damaging the wine. They automatically scan
any wine that sells for over $500 before buying it. The outside
collector or guest of the resort can pay a fee of only $35 to
authenticate wines they own or are considering purchasing at auction or
retail. The guests at the restaurant are therefore assured that any
wine they are served has been authenticated. The thing I loved about the
wine list is the pricing, often below auction prices.

You may now have an inkling as to why I enjoyed my two-day Spa, Sports and Wine visit.